A new investor note from TFI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts Apple will launch a foldable iPhone by 2023, reiterating an earlier report. Kuo said he believes the company could sell between 15 to 20 million units of the device.
With several of Apple’s competitors already offering foldable devices, including Samsung, Kuo sees a foldable iPhone as a must have in order for the company to remain competitive.
“After 5G, the foldable smartphone is the next innovative selling point of high-end models,” Kuo said (via CNBC).
We’ve seen several foldable devices over the past few years, highlighted by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip. We’ve also seen foldable devices from Huawei and Xiaomi. While foldable devices aren’t new, they have yet to become mainstream, with the high cost of entry being a major reason why they haven’t been widely adopted.
Kuo claims the foldable iPhone will feature an 8-inch OLED display, making it slightly larger than the iPad mini when opened. It’s unclear if the device will also include an outer display, and if the device will fold vertically or horizontally. It’s also unclear if the foldable iPhone’s larger display will feature Apple Pencil support.
Although Apple is expected to jump on the foldable iPhone trend much later than its competitors, Kuo said the company will have an advantage due to its strong “cross-product ecosystem.”
“We predict the foldable devices will blur the product segmentations between smartphones, tablets, and laptops in the future,” Kuo said. “With its cross-product ecosystem and hardware design advantages, Apple will be the biggest winner in the new foldable device trend.”
Before Apple releases a foldable iPhone, the company is expected to introduce a smartphone with a smaller notch, followed by a device with a hole-punch design in 2022, according to previous reports. With a foldable iPhone not expected for a few more years, it’s possible Apple’s plans could change. But considering how critical the form factor will be in the mobile market, it sounds like the release of a foldable iPhone is only a matter of time.
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